Smart City Management And Navigation Tool

Abstract

A tool for managing and navigating a smart city is disclosed. The tool is utilized by city staff as well as users. The tool comprises a geographic information system (GIS) module and an augmented reality (AR) module that provide functionality relevant to city staff, such as infrastructure asset management, as well as users, such as visualizing locations of landmarks on a live image captured by a camera.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An augmented reality method for displaying hidden objects on a live image captured by a camera, comprising:
 capturing, by the camera, a live image in front of the camera;   obtaining, from a geographic information system, location information for the hidden objects, wherein the hidden objects are hidden from view in the live image; and   displaying, by a display unit, an augmented reality image comprising visualizations of the hidden objects over the live image.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the hidden objects comprise gas lines. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the gas lines are contained in a wall. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the gas lines are underground. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the hidden objects comprise electrical lines. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the electrical lines are contained in a wall. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the electrical lines are underground. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the hidden objects comprise water lines. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the water lines are contained in a wall. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the water lines are underground. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 displaying, by the display unit, a three-dimensional model of a structure contained in the live image.   
     
     
         12 . An augmented reality method for displaying a visualization of a landmark on a live image, the method implemented by a client device, the method comprising:
 capturing, by a camera within the client device, the live image in front of the camera;   obtaining, by a positioning unit within the client device, location information for the client device;   obtaining, from a geographic information system, location information for a landmark; and   displaying, by a display unit within the client device, an augmented reality image comprising a visualization of the landmark over the live image.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the augmented reality image indicates the landmark is hidden from view in the live image. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the location information for the client device comprises longitude data and latitude data. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the location information for the landmark comprises longitude data and latitude data. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 displaying, by the display unit, a distance between the client device and the landmark.   
     
     
         17 . A computing system for generating and displaying an augmented reality image, the computing system comprising:
 a camera for capturing a live image in front of the camera;   a positioning unit for determining location information for the positioning unit;   a geographic information system storing location information for objects;   a processing unit executing an augmented reality module to generate an augmented reality image comprising visualizations of the objects over the live image using the location information for the positioning unit and the location information for the objects; and   a display for displaying the augmented reality image.   
     
     
         18 . The computing system of  claim 17 , wherein the camera, positioning unit, and processing unit are contained within a client device. 
     
     
         19 . The computing system of  claim 18 , wherein the geographic information system is implemented by a server. 
     
     
         20 . The computing system of  claim 18 , wherein the geographic information system is implemented by the client device and a server.